Sharp Ends Word Processor Output Dec 31, 2002

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Sharp Corp. has terminated production and shipments of Japanese-language word processors, company officials said. The company's decision will reportedly lead to the disappearance from the market of the machines, whose sales once surpassed those of PCs due to their low prices and easy operation. Sharp officials said the company will stock word processor parts for the next 7 years or so to provide repair services for machines already sold. According to industry statistics, shipments of Japanese word processors peaked in fiscal 1989, when about 2.7 million processors were sold. Their popularity, however, weakened as PCS became less costly and more user-friendly. In fiscal 2000, shipment of Japanese word processors plunged to 260,000 units, less than 10 percent of its peak. That year, Toshiba and some major manufacturers withdrew from the market. In 2001, NEC, Fujitsu, and Casio also pulled out.(Kyodo News)

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